Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II

The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is a family of fifth generation multirole fighter. The F-35 is descended from the X-35, the product of the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program. The United States intends to buy a total of 2,443 aircraft for an estimated US$323 billion, making it the most expensive defense program ever.

The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II appears to be a smaller, twin-engine Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor, single-engine sibling of the sleeker, slightly more conventiona, and indeed drew elements from it. The exhaust duct design was inspired by General Dynamics Model 200 design, which was proposed for a 1972 supersonic VTOL fighter requirement for the Sea Control Ship.[67] For specialized development of the F-35B STOVL variant, Lockheed consulted with the Yakovlev Design Bureau, purchasing design data from their development of the Yakovlev Yak-141 “Freestyle”.[68][69] Although several experimental designs have been built and tested since the 1960s including the Navy’s unsuccessful Rockwell XFV-12, the F-35B is to be the first operational supersonic, STOVL stealth fighter.